Highlanders to lose Hore, Woodcock

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) All Blacks front rowers Andrew Hore and Tony Woodcock will not be returning to the Highlanders for the next Super Rugby season, the Dunedin-based club said.

Coach Jamie Joseph said Tuesday the Highlanders will not be re-signing Hore, the 79-test hooker who has played in Dunedin for the last two seasons and captained the Highlanders in 13 of 29 matches.

The decision has increased speculation the 35-year-old Hore might retire at the end of the current season.

Woodcock, who has played 102 tests for New Zealand at prop, has been released from the second year of his contract to return to Auckland. Joseph said Woodcock's father was unwell and needed assistance to run the family farm.

AP

This story has been automatically published from the Associated Press wire which uses US spellings